Oladipo GOAT? ~ Short Story

[XLevel 144]

I'm 33 and have been watching IU basketball for as long as I can remember.  My dad got me started very early and I remember watching Alford, Smart, Edwards, etc.  My first love, IU and the 3 ball.  I felt like every game and every 3 was the most exciting thing I would ever witness.  87, 92, 93, 00, 02, 07, 08... You know the history.  The rise, the fall, again and again.  I thought I had seen it all.  I thought I had seen my favorite players and while I would always absolutely love iubb forever (and I will, til death do us part), those players would still be my all time favorites.  After Edwards (yeah, he was my first fav) I thought Calbert Cheaney would be it, the greatest I would see and my all time favorite.  Sure, I liked Anderson, Henderson, Guyton, Haston, White, Gordon, and the fire of Moye, but no one would ever be as awesome as Cheaney, right?  I'm not so sure anymore.

 

Two years ago I called my dad and told him I just saw the future of IU basketball.  On the other side of the phone I'm sure he's rolling his eyes.  We did just finish a 10-21 season a few months before and I have always been a terrible homer expecting probably more than our team has been capable of producing.  Regardless, I was giving him my review of the new team.  I was excited, as usual, but I really liked these two freshman, Oladipo and Sheehey.  They were athletic, good, unpolished, but there was something about Oladipo.  I told him right then, "this kid is special.  He's not a one-and-done by any means, but wow.  Just wait.  He's going to be great!"  My dad and I watched a few games together.  Then we saw the "#nomee."  We looked at each other with the look of... well, I don't know.  We weren't sure what we thought of it.  Here was this freshman giving some weird salute to himself?  We are traditional IU fans, but here is this energy, pride, and talent.  Ok, we can let it slide.  After getting to know him, his game, and his antics, he was really growing on us.

 

Last year I started off telling everyone who would listen how great the Hoosiers were going to be well before the season was even here.  I was right there for Hoosier Hysteria, dad by my side and Oladipo center stage as Usher.  "He's a star," I said, "one day he will be in the NBA."  I was ridiculed by my friends and even my brother on Facebook, etc. for my lofty expectations of the team.  Even at 9-0, (I was counting exhibition just like any homer) they all talked smack.  Then, Dec. 10, 2011 and the #Watshot!  Ah yes, my time for gloating had arrived.  Or so I thought.  Sure people were opening their eyes at this point, but it would all come crumbling down they thought.  Game after game we were improving and proving "We're Back!"  Even when the tournament came around, I still heard how we would get beat in the first round. Then in the second, Knoxville, TN found out how strong Hoosier Nation is.  Myself and a couple other Hoosier fans, whom I didn't even know, erupted in a BWs and scared the bejesus out of several small children and adults.  I knew two things at this point, we had what it took to beat the #1 team in the country, pUKe, and whichever team won would win it all.  This time is wasn't just me being a homer and everyone knew it.  This time most knew we had a chance, a good one.  In the end, yes, we fell to pUKe, but everyone including the head coward, Calipari, knew we were the legit #1 for next season.  So much so, that he ended the IU/pUKe traditional rivalry game.

 

At the start of this season, it was clear the best player was Cody Zeller.  Guaranteed lottery pick and likely #1.  Even I thought so. (total shocker, right?!)  Watford a late first round or second round pick.  Oladipo was on Hoosier fans' radar, but most wondered if he had what it took to get drafted.  Game by game, Oladipo was being Oladipo.  Just as he had over the last two years, he worked harder and harder becoming incrementally better every game.  His stock rising every game, he was even being talked about as the Hoosiers MVP.  January 10, 2013 - The nation has started to take notice and the Wooden Award Mid-Season Top 25 is announced.  No Os anywhere on the list.  When the talk about snubs starts up, the first name mentioned is who-else, Victor Oladipo.  Games go by and the headlines read "Who is Indiana's Best Player?" and "Oladipo paces No.7 Indiana past Michigan St."

 

Now, it's mid-season. We're sitting at 20-2, 8-1 leading the B1G, and #1 in the country.  Oladipo is no longer the kid with the "tremendous upside."  He's the star of Indiana, a front runner for Defensive Player of the Year, an efficient offensive machine with unbelievable shooting percentages, a high flyer, THE energy guy, a guy that just made Twitter erupt over the "greatest MISSED dunk of all time", a guy that stole the show from the then front runner for Player of the Year.  Now, above all, he's my all time favorite IU player.

 

Next year we have some amazing recruits coming in.  2014 looks to be as promising if not more so.  James Blackmon, Jr. is dropping 40 point games like a "Sloppy Janitor" drops buckets.  While not signed, (yet) JaQuan Lyle is putting up triple doubles with the frequency of a, dare I say, Earvin "Magic" Johnson.  Theo Pinson (2014), Phil Booth (2014), and Vijay Blackmon (2016) were also at last night's game.  It's incredible to think what the future holds, but at least right now, it's "O-La-Di-Po" and he just might be, the GOAT.  In my eyes, he already is.

 

 - #PacerFlav

 

[IU Hoosier41 14,465]

Awesome write up. I couldn't agree more with you. Victor Oladipo has become my favorite Hoosier. How he beats out Calbert, AJ Guyton, AJ Moye, DJ White is incredible.

It's going to be sad to see him go at the end of the year. Would love to see him stay, but I think he has to go pro. His stock will be at an all time high. Time to step up and draft him PACERS!

[Will_Padgman 194]

Don't kid yourself, he's gonna be drafted by the Mavs

[CR3AMnCR1MS0N 1,867]

Man this is great article (yes that's what I'm calling it).  You should try to get insidethehall peegs and even ESPN to post this.

 

I'm only 14 and didn't really start watching/following IU until the 09 season (although I do remember visiting my great grandpa, a big IU fan, in the nursing home shortly before he passed away, during a game in our 6 win 2008 season) so I don't really know in detail about the older teams (however, my dad and grandpa have told me about some of the important events and seasons.)  With all of that being said, I haven't gotten to "fall in love" with former players, so logically, my favorite player will be from a recent team, and I have to choose Vic. The passion, intensity, work ethic, and fearlessness that he brings to the game puts him on the top of the short list of Hoosiers I have gotten to see play.

 

P.S.

 

I also wouldn't mind seeing my Spurs draft Home Dipo!

[CR3AMnCR1MS0N 1,867]

But, if the Pacers draft him, I can go see him play in cheap NBA games.

[XLevel 144]

Thanks, guys.  I have already tweeted to Kevin Pritchard to "do whatever it takes." hahaha

[XLevel 144]

I see more and more people jumping on board with me.  Good to see.

[coachmayhew 1,414]

Oladipo may be your favorite but he isn't going to have the numbers to be considered the GOAT. Definately one of my all time favorite but Greatest Hoosier of All-Time, if we get Banner 6 I might change my mind.

[XLevel 144]

One step closer.

[CR3AMnCR1MS0N 1,867]

He's definitely my favorite, but I'm only 14 and have only been watching iubb for a few years so I don't really know the older players.

[coachmayhew 1,414]

He's definitely my favorite, but I'm only 14 and have only been watching iubb for a few years so I don't really know the older players.

He might just be your favorite player forever. When I was a youngster my favorite teams and players were from 92, 93, 94. Cheney, Alan Henderson, Greg Graham, Chris Reynolds, Matt Nover, Damon Bailey, Brian Evans, & my childhood hero Todd Leary. Have had some favorite players on each team since but those were the days for me when I was 14. CREAMnCr1MSON consider yourself lucky. Maybe your favorite player will also hang Banner 6!

[Andrew_114 105]

He might just be your favorite player forever. When I was a youngster my favorite teams and players were from 92, 93, 94. Cheney, Alan Henderson, Greg Graham, Chris Reynolds, Matt Nover, Damon Bailey, Brian Evans, & my childhood hero Todd Leary. Have had some favorite players on each team since but those were the days for me when I was 14. CREAMnCr1MSON consider yourself lucky. Maybe your favorite player will also hang Banner 6!

Just like to say I go to high school where Damon went, no big deal

[coachmayhew 1,414]

Just like to say I go to high school where Damon went, no big deal

Things you must remember Andrew_114 keep those grades up, hard work pays off. Put in the work now and in college the rewards come later. Thanks for the post.

[XLevel 144]

Snubbed for B1G Ten Player of the Year, but did get B1G Ten Defensive Player of the Year.  ESPN analysts are still predicting VO will get the Wooden / Naismith awards.  We shall see.  Fingers crossed.